Randy Flowers

Hey yall… I have recently bought my first Caterham Super 7 (a 2020 310R). The only thing I dislike about driving the 7 so far is that I have to have the side curtains on when over 40mph. Just too windy otherwise. But, I do not like having them on. My main issue is that I love to be able to see clearly out to my side so that I can experience nature and the world when driving on the country roads and so that I am interact more easily with drivers next to me. It also makes the car feel a bit claustrophobic and hemmed in with them on. Looking through the side curtain plastic windows is a little blurry and also bounces around, so it is hard to see clearly out to the sides with them on. I would LOVE to be able to take them off unless I was driving on highways at 70+mph. In the dry season (about 6 months in Oregon), I have two ideas for being able to drive without the side curtains on in a way that would make the wind turbulence acceptable. 1) The first idea is to combine using the half doors with some sort of wind deflectors attached to the windscreen. I do have the half doors. However, they are not yet fitted so they are unusable. So, I am unable to put them on and test how much they reduce cockpit wind turbulence vs having the full side curtains on. I am guessing that a combo of having the half doors on plus also using some fairly big wind deflectors, like the ones in the picture at the link below, would reduce wind turbulence to acceptable levels inside the cockpit. I am guessing that the smaller standard wind deflectors that you can order from Caterham would be too small and ineffective for reducing cockpit wind turbulence. Thus, we would need to make some bigger custom wind deflectors like the ones in the link below. https://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/uploads/monthly_2023_07/IMG_9941.jpeg.7961e5b011f5fe067752f729b022b4c2.jpeg Am I correct that using the combo of half doors plus some sort of wind deflectors will reduce wind turbulence to acceptable levels inside the cockpit when driving at speeds up to 60mph? 2) The second idea is to use the Aeroscreen along with the half doors on. Obviously, using the Aeroscreen would be even more windy, but the wind would be coming in from the front and not pelting you from the sides like it does with the windscreen and no side curtains on. I do NOT want to wear a helmet when driving the car on a non-track day, so if I used the Aeroscreen, I would do it with only a doo-rag on my head (I have long hair) plus ballistic goggles on. My issue with driving with no windscreen and goggles on is that a big rock or something could come in very fast and hurt me or my passenger, maybe even taking an eye out right thru the ballistic goggles. Motorcycle riders of course regularly drive without a windscreen and with just glasses or goggles of some sort to protect their eyes, and they seem to do that OK without having serious injuries from flying rocks, etc. So, it makes sense that it would work for me with the 7 and the Aeroscreen on, but I am loath to take the chance of being hurt by flying road debris. Am I overly concerned about flying road debris causing injury if I have ballistic goggles on when using the Aeroscreen? Given it obviously even more windy with the Aeroscreen plus half doors on, is the increased wind less annoying given that the wind is coming directly at you instead of pelting you from the sides (with the windscreen and no side curtains on)? Would be so cool to drive it with using the Aeroscreen/half doors and goggles. It is already insanely cool to drive the car, but driving it that way would really be neat. It may be both way too windy plus too dangerous without a helmet though. Thanks! Randy

Josh has sent me a replacement for the top pedal box cover plate. Next Tuesday, we are digging into adjusting the pedals in some way, probably bending the throttle pedal to the right some as a starting point. I am already almost hitting the clutch when i brake, so the idea of straightening the brake pedal will give me even less room to the clutch, so unless the pedals themselves are reduced in width, I don't like that idea. We may end up straightening the brake but also replacing the pads with thinner pads on the brake and clutch. For sure though, the throttle is moving to the right as well. I want maximum space between all 3 pedals, but especially brake/throttle. On the shoes, I received these 'shoe socks' and they are like wearing a sock with a sole, so can't imagine getting anything thinner than that and they were very cheap. I will hopefully be able to wear thin actual shoes of some sort after adjusting the pedals https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SHWNXF4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Randy

Hey there yall. Happy 4th! I thought about starting 2 new threads about the below issues, but figured all of this is still about my initial 7 owner questions, so will just keep adding to this thread as I sort through those type of questions (and maybe another new 7 owner can read this whole thread one day and have it help them sort through their own initial questions). I am slowly finding more opportunities to drive my new 7 and sorting through the adjustment/issues phase. I have an autistic daughter that I am not yet wanting to put in the 7, so my chances to drive it have been only about once per week so far. Loving the car by the way I have two issues that have risen to the top of the list that I would like advice on... 1) Throttle and brake pedals: Unless I use my bare feet I am having issues with every single shoe I have tried so far, including OMP Technica race shoes and Vibram shoes. Both of those shoes are very thin and not much wider than my feet. The soles of the shoes though are still prone to hit the throttle and brake simultaneously when braking. I realize that part of it is practice/technique, but I had an incident the other day that almost caused a wreck! I was braking with a car in front and was hitting the throttle while braking and had to suddenly dart into the other lane to avoid the car in front, yikes! My mechanic friend had been saying we should move the throttle pedal to the right. I had resisted that idea at least until I tried some really thin shoes first, but after that incident while using thin shoes, I am in agreement with him. I want to move the throttle pedal to the right as much as possible. See the picture of the pedal box attached. I asked Josh at Rocky Mountain for his thoughts on moving the throttle pedal to the right and he said the following: 'For bending the throttle pedal, it can be done in situ by using a block of wood and a long handled Phillips screwdriver jammed down the shaft -- this is how the Brits do it. I prefer to undo the top bolt, remove the pedal entirely, and bend on the bench top vise -- to me this reduces off-axis load on the bushing, but it's probably overkill. Either way it's absolutely fine to cold-bend the pedal.' So, what are yall's thoughts on bending or moving the throttle pedal to the right some? Wondering how much we can move it to the right as well (1/2 to 1 inch?) before too close to the transmission tunnel? Also on this topic. I have been looking at lots of barefoot shoe types, and then found something I had not heard of before, barefoot shoe socks. I am 100% good driving in my bare feet or regular socks, although they have been getting very hot in the pedal box (see the comments below as to why!), so thinking that these barefoot shoe socks plus moving the throttle pedal to the right a bit will solve my issue with the pedals being so tight. Here are the barefoot shoe socks I ordered: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SHWNXF4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 2) Cockpit heat/noise: I have been having a severe heat issue in the pedal box area and thought it was just how hot these cars are in the pedal box. I have only driven it about 3 longish drives so far (150+ miles total so far) and after the 2nd drive on a 95 degree day nearly fried my bare feet, I was looking for gaps in the foot well and that quickly revealed a GIANT hole in the foot well (LOL). The top pedal box cover plate in the engine bay was GONE! No wonder it felt like a furnace in the pedal box, sheesh. I figure fixing that will eliminate about 75% of the pedal box heat I was experiencing. However, I still want to put carpet down in the foot well and floor board (carpet already on transmission tunnel) and I want to put serious and thin heat reflective/noise reducing material underneath the carpet throughout the cockpit. Once I put on a pedal box cover plate and put in carpet and heat/noise reducing material in, I will then re-evaluate the cockpit heat and decide if it is worth it to do further things like coating the headers. Josh at Rocky Mountain is sending us a new pedal box cover plate already. I went through lots of archived forum posts on BlatChat, USA7s and other sites and looked at what others have done to reduce cockpit heat. Their main solutions were A) insulate the cockpit interior and the engine bay/transmission tunnel side with heat reflective material (although they all suggested different types of material to use), B) make sure that your heater is OFF and that all the vents are sealed off and make sure that the hot water doesn't go thru the heater during the warm weather, C) Either wrap or coat the headers/exhaust (note that wraps apparently don't work well long term here in the Pacific Northwest with the long rainy seasons) and D) put in some sort of hose that brings in cool air from the nose into the foot well. Some also were venting hot air out the sides or bottom of the car in various ways. Note that my 7 already has the standard Caterham heat insulating material on the foot wells, etc inside the engine bay. Also, we are also thinking of putting a custom metal heat shield in front of the headers to funnel heat down through the hole where the exhaust pokes through the body. My main question is what kind of heat/noise reflective material would yall propose to put down throughout the inside of the cockpit (under the carpet)? Wanting something that dramatically reduces heat/noise that is not crazy expensive or really difficult to put in. The forums suggested all kinds of materials and lots of their posts were decades old, so wondering what is the best type of heat/noise reflective material for that in 2024? Thanks! Randy Caterham 7 Pedal box.HEIC

I have been heel and toeing for decades, almost always blip the throttle in my modded Miata downshifting, even when it is non-necessary, its fun and smoother usually. I will definitely be blipping even more in the 7, although I am so far struggling with that in bare feet. I will definitely get better with the pedals and I am listening to the comments, like pressing the clutch before hard pressing the brake. I'll go to some sports stores here in Eugene like Dick's to try wrestling or rock climbing shoes. Maybe that is all I need. I called several racing gear stores today to ask their opinion on the best shoe for what I am wanting (super thin and pliable and not more than $250). One of them was very helpful and he suggested OMP Tecnica shoes. I will call some more places and get more opinions to compare. I already ordered motorcycle glasses and that should work well. I am wanting a clear lens pair and a sunglasses pair to switch out as needed. I got these from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085LTFJ54?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Thanks for all the advice regarding batteries I am keeping this thread going as I go through more initial questions now that I am driving the car and getting used to it. We were able to get it titled and licensed in Oregon a few days ago, and I finally drove it for an extended time when I took it to the DMV. It has a license plate on it now, Yay! First off, what a ride, sheesh, I feel like I am driving Fangio's 55 Maserati. It feels like a 50s race car, so raw in every way being inches from the ground and the exhaust note and the acceleration/handling and the pebbles/dust being thrown at you and the various noises and engine heat and tiny cabin etc. Just nothing else like it and yes, I did have a shit eating grin, and I am just scratching the surface of its abilities at this point. What an attention grabber it is, everyone has thumbs up, big grins and lots of questions. In Gulf Blue with the orange stripe and nose ring, it is a stunner. Looks very retro. I am taking it to a local car show this weekend and it is being entered as a contestant with about 40 other cars, so that will be fun sharing it with everyone for the first time So, that's the fun stuff, now I am in the adjustment phase and driving it for even 50 miles brought up a couple of points. 1) The pedals are just too close for me unless I use my bare feet. I bought some Piloti Shift shoes and I tried them with the 7. If I press to any decent degree on the brake, the Piloti shoes were hitting the throttle and brake simultaneously. Piloti Shift shoes were a suggestion here but I don't understand how he was able to use them. I am unable to get any Puma Speedcats currently in my size. I need something that fits me like a glove. My Vibram 5 fingered shoes fit me like that, but they don't work due to the fingers catching on the pedals. I need something very thin like Vibram's. A real Indian moccasin fits like that, just pliable leather around your foot with very thin sole. I am planning on calling some of the racing boot stores and ask them their opinion for something super thin that was just barely bigger than your bare feet. I am guessing they will point me to a $350 light weight racing boot, and I was not wanting to spend that kind of money. Driving with my bare feet is not ideal though so I need to figure something out. I did checkout the Jim Clark shoes suggested above, but guessing they would be too wide as well. I will no doubt get much better at footwork with tight pedals like this car has, but I am not sure what I would ever do differently to make those Piloti Shift shoes work, they were just too wide for the current pedal placement. What lightweight thin skin and fits like a glove shoes would yall suggest? What about adjusting the throttle pedal to be a little farther from the brake pedal? 2) I already bought some motorcycle glasses (not goggles) that will protect my eyes. In the trek across town, a good bit of crud got into my eyes. Do yall wear something like motorcycle glasses to protect your eyes from flying dust/pebbles/etc even with the windscreen and side curtains on? 3) What do yall do for covering the cockpit when leaving the car for awhile out in public? For example, I don't want to leave the car in the parking lot while I go hiking for an hour when it is possible that it may rain while I am gone, plus I don't want to not leave the cockpit exposed. I always put a tonneau cover on the sports cars I have owned any time I was going to leave them for a little while. If you use a tonneau cover on a Caterham, you would have to take off the side curtains every time you put it on. I would think you would just fold the side curtains and put them in the seats under the tonneau. I do have a half top and could use that to cover the car as well but that has an opening in the back. A tonneau would work for washing the car too I would guess, however the windscreen inside would then be exposed vs having the full top on. Do yall use a tonneau cover to cover your car when leaving it outside or in public? Do yall just use the half top to cover the car instead (or just leave it exposed regularly)? Thanks again, fun sharing this adventure with old hands at it Randy

I found the email where Josh told me the exact battery type. Josh said this in regards to questions about the battery: 'I put a brand new Odyssey PC680 in on Monday. These are sealed modern gel batteries that I use to replace the lead acid ones the kits come with... so no worries about maintenance or topping up acid or any of that. You can charge this just as you would a standard car battery, and you should look for >12.5v for normal use.' So, now that I know it is a new Odyssey PC680 (or AGM16L) battery for the specific battery type: 1) What kind of charger to use for that battery type? So, get the NOCO Genius charger, right? 2) What kind of jump starter for that battery type? So, get the NOCO Boost Plus GB40, right? Could I just get a set of jumper cables designed for a motorcycle as mentioned above? 3) If that battery type is dead, do I need to fully recharge and not jump start it? 4) When is it OK to jump start that battery type? If I am not near my garage (or my charger) and do something that drains the battery such that it won't start, can I jump it in that situation? In my Miatas, I always just got regular jumper cables, never charged it in between and never worried about jumping it, so this is all new to me. Thanks Randy

Now that I have the car, some new questions have come up. 1) I will sometimes not be able to drive it for a week or so. I have been told by Josh at Rocky Mountain to get a battery charger that will not overcharge the battery and leave that on in the car when not driving it. What kind of battery charger do yall use and how does the battery charger hook up so that you don't have to take the bonnet off each time? 2) If I can't start the car, do you jump a 2020 Caterham's small battery the same way you would a normal battery, and would you use the same set of jumpers as a normal battery? 3) What do yall take with you in the 7 to hold insurance papers and a few other small items? Thanks! Randy

Just thought I would update yall. The 7 has arrived! Now the adventure officially begins! Picture of me with it here: Randy First time with Caterham 7_1.heic Still have barely driven it, since we need to go to the DMV to get it licensed and the title transferred. The 1 mile I did drive it reminded me of the times I have driven a 7 before. I quickly learned that my tenny shoes will NOT work (gas and brake at the same time, yikes!). I ended up using bare feet for now since my first stab at a shoe (Piloti Shift shoes) hasn't arrived yet. I wonder how often people use just their bare feet to drive these? About 6 cars passed us on our street when we had just unloaded the car and every single one didn't just look at it, but literally stopped in the road to ask questions about it. So, the gawking and questions about it have officially begun In Gulf blue with an orange nose/stripe, it is a stunner in person for sure! Yesterday, on a country road getting into the city of Eugene I barely scrapped the bottom of my Miata on an unexpected bump/depression and it definitely got my attention as to what would have happened in the 7 in that same incident. Note that my Miata is also lowered from factory and is quite low itself. I am driving the Miata as if I am driving the 7 lately and I was for sure looking for upcoming road hazards, but it was around a corner and I didn't see it until it happened. Right now, I think ground clearance and messing something up underneath the car on a country road is my main concern. Some good advice above and thanks everyone for the advice the last month or so. Randy

It looks like the 7 will probably be delivered later this week! The main thing I am hearing back from yall is to stop over thinking things and let the process happen. Good advice. Now that it is really happening, it will all just unfold and the next step or question will happen in its own time, no stress, just adventure. I looked at all the shoe recommendations and bookmarked a few wrestling shoes and the Piloti Shift shoes. I still want to try the PUMA Sparco Speedcats, but I can't find them anywhere in my size. Of the shoes suggested, the ones I like the most are the Piloti Shift shoes. I can find them in my size/color. I have never tried to buy shoes online and I imagine that doing it this way I will have to send a few pairs back before I find one that fits. If my normal shoe size is about 9.5, do I order the Piloti Shift shoes a tad smaller than that (maybe size 9.0)? It seems yall don't worry much about anyone stealing the side curtains or tonneau, even if doing something like leaving the car at a trail head when you go for a hike. And that the car itself is not at all likely to be stolen. That's good to hear. Does anyone here take the side curtains off, fold them up and store them in the boot or under the tonneau when leaving the car parked in a public place? Is it wise to get a skid plate to protect the oil pan? Any other ways to protect the underside from hitting something? On those country roads that I drive all the time, a sudden bump or depression is possible but I will be scanning for them as much as possible. Definitely don't want to wreck an oil pan. If you go over speed bumps sideways and slowly, will the 7 be OK even over a fairly high bump? With a Sigma engine 310R, what are the main mechanical bits that could be hit if bottoming out or scraping a speed bump? I will look into all the suggestions for lights, the cheaper alternative (H4) for the front headlight LEDs sounded promising. My daughter is autistic but also very coordinated and minds really well, so I can have the side curtain on all the time with her in the car and not let her get out until I am helping (and she will wear long pants always). I will look into the heat shield products for something to possibly drape over the muffler. Any other suggestions for something to drape over the muffler? Does anyone know what temp the muffler gets to when hot? My main concern is that draping something over the hot muffler would discolor it or worse. Thanks! Randy

I started a thread a few weeks back when I was deciding whether to buy a 7. I did buy it and I received the title of my 7 today! See the thread from a few weeks ago here (with pics and specs of the car) Shipping is being arranged at the moment. I will no doubt have more questions once I get some seat time but I do have some questions right now as well. Thanks ahead of time for the advice! 1) Shoes: I wanted to try the Puma/Sparco Speedcats, but they don't have my size/color right now (maybe I can find them somewhere other than from Puma?). I suppose I will have to use my bare feet until I can find some shoes that will work. I am wanting a shoe that feels very soft like a moccasin but firm enough for the pedals, not something that feels clunky or hard like a boot. Note that I do have somewhat wide feet. What shoes would yall recommend given my description of what I am wanting? What do yall use? 2) Ground clearance: I have heard of 7 drivers hitting potholes or even going slowly over a speed bump and breaking something underneath. How do yall avoid hitting anything underneath and what should I watch for/be aware of about the clearance? 3) Safety: I will drive it like a motorcycle, staying out of blind spots, assuming no one sees me with my hand on the horn button when passing vehicles and slowing down and looking both ways when crossing 4 ways. I was even thinking of taking a right turn and then a U-turn and another right turn at the bigger 4 ways. I will keep it on country roads near Eugene Oregon most of the time as it is far less likely that I will be hit on the side or the rear on those kinds of roads (plus way more fun and beautiful!). If I get hit from the front on a 2 lane road by a car coming the other way, it won't matter whether I was in the Miata or the 7 I would guess. The bigger concern on the country roads is a deer popping out suddenly before I can slow down. Any advice for how yall drive the 7 to be as safe as possible? 4) Theft: When leaving the car in any public place I am wanting to fold the side curtains up and put them into the boot. I will eventually get a tonneau cover and then I am wanting to put on the tonneau and also leave the side curtains in the boot when leaving it outside or in a public place. However, with the side curtains being so easy to take I am wary of leaving the car someplace like a trail head where they know you are gone for a bit, or in a parking garage in downtown Eugene, etc. They wouldn’t be able to sell the tonneau for anything and they wouldn’t know what to do with the side curtains either, but it still concerns me. No one ever messed with my tonneau cover when I had my 1960s English sport cars and I left them lots of places, so wondering if I am overthinking it. You can fold the side curtains and put them into the boot, right? If you did that, I am assuming that would leave no room for anything else in the boot though, right? What do yall do about leaving your car in public places and the security of things like the side curtains and the tonneau cover? How hard is it to get a new set of side curtains if you suddenly needed a new set and how much does a new set of side curtains cost? 5) Headlights: I have heard that the standard headlights are pretty terrible at night, and Josh said this one has standard headlights. I will definitely be driving some at night. Do you even need to improve the standard headlights? Wondering what are some simple and not expensive ways to improve the headlights? 6) Preventing muffler burns: Sometimes I will drive my autistic daughter in it. When driving with her, I will always keep the side curtain in place so she can't touch the exhaust, I will give her earplugs and I will help her in and out to get over the exhaust. Is there anything that I could drape over a hot muffler while someone is getting in or out? Some sort of cloth that won't burn up or cause any issues with the muffler itself but that will prevent someone from being burned? 7) Cleaning: Due to some unique things like aluminum, the exposed front suspension, etc, I am wondering about cleaning methods yall use. How do yall keep the outside, engine bay and especially the exposed front suspension looking great when driving the car 3000 miles per year? 8) Any other things a new owner of a 7 should keep in mind as we are getting the car ready to drive (after shipment) and learning how to drive the car? Thanks! Randy

I am 62 and just finally am in the next day or two officially owning my first 7, see my other thread about 'advice buying first 7'. And, i plan on driving it 15 years at least, hopefully 20. I stay fit, intermittent fast, walk, lift some and eat healthy, so i plan on having no issues driving this for a long time Randy

Not sure exactly, guessing 2-3 weeks before we finalize the paperwork and get it shipped here to Oregon. Then, we need to get it into running shape after the shipment. So, probably around the beginning of June, which is the real beginning of the best 7 time in Oregon as well. We are going to take it slowly, i have the rest of my life to drive it. I waited 55 years, can wait a few more weeks. Randy

UPDATE: My mechanic friend and I had an hour long video conference with Josh at Rocky Mountain Caterham today and got to go over the car with Josh. Man, what a beautiful car and in really top condition by all appearances. Josh really thought highly of how well built and sorted out the car is. We were impressed for sure. SO...I have committed to buying it and we are now starting the steps to complete the purchase! I am about to own a 7 after 55 years of wanting to own one!!! AND, it is THIS one, just Wow. And, my mechanic friend was very impressed too, and is excited to help guide me in learning how to take care of the car properly, and he lives 2 blocks away. I AM ABOUT TO OWN A SEVEN!!! Been kind of walking on air all afternoon since. I know yall get it Now, all the baby steps happen and i am in no big rush, we will do this the right way and i will soon enough be able to sit in it and take off down the road with a big grin on my face. I will have the rest of my life to drive it once we get it here and get it up and running after shipment. Oh, Josh is obviously going to be a very helpful guy to have in our corner along the way. I told Josh that one of the big reasons i felt good pulling the trigger was that it was being done thru him and that he had personally vetted the car after the R&T build. This whole last week+ has felt surreal and had lots of synchronicity. One week ago i decided to start looking for real and to see if my idea of being able to own a 7 the rest of my life for just the cost of small depreciation + upkeep + insurance was realistic or not. So, I called Rocky Mountain Caterham (first call I made), and Ross answered and he basically sold me that Gulf Blue Caterham on the spot. I was shocked, it was EXACTLY what I had just spec'ed out using the Caterham Configurator. The ONLY difference was i didn't have a stripe, just an orange nose ring, but i like the stripe too. The other difference between the one i spec'ed was the this one had a Sigma 152hp engine, which is the engine spec i would have chosen on the Configurator if it was an option, so even more fantastic. Only Durotecs were an option, so i chose the 180hp Durotec in my spec, but i wanted the Sigma, so this car even had that. I first saw that car and was like, THAT IS MY CAR! It was uncanny. AND also, Josh confirmed today that it was that day that Rocky Mountain had listed it, so who knows how fast it would have gone to someone else if i had not called right then. Sometimes things in life just flow in a way that is beyond your own understanding, and this one felt like that sort of thing. And then, i found the perfect mechanic helper as well, and insurance was actually affordable, and my finances worked with it without messing up a good retirement. I may work an extra year freelance to pay back some of the cost of this though, but that is a small price to pay for being able to own a 7, especially this 7. Very thankful/grateful right now Thanks again for yall's help along the week+ of decision making. I am officially in the 7 community now! WHOOHOO!!! Randy

First of all, thanks for all the great comments and advice, I feel like I just got initiated into the 7 club I have been doing a cram course in owning a Caterham the last week+. About 2 weeks ago, I had this new idea that with my newfound level of income/savings at 62, I finally had the 'entry fee' of the initial price, and the idea was that i would get a really really nice newer one with the newer engines, Miata box, etc, I would get a helper mechanic that I could pay to do needed repairs and also teach me how to properly do all the routine maintenance, and then with it being a new fairly reliable car from the start and with it getting the care it needed, it would be a relatively reliable car to drive, AND I could then own and drive a SUPER 7 for the rest of my life just for the cost of some depreciation + upkeep + insurance. So, about two weeks ago i dipped my toe in the water and called the place i knew was the right place to call (I had talked to them years before), Rocky Mountain Caterham. And guess what car was sitting at the top of their 'available' page when i called? I had a dual reaction. OH MY GOD, THAT IS MY CAR was one of them. And also a big gulp knowing that now i had to quickly figure out if i could navigate thru all the gates that needed to open for this to be something doable. Well, I have to report that this has been an intense week+ for me since i saw that car, and during that time, gate after gate after gate has swung wide open! I needed to know that i was getting a really good properly built newer Caterham and trust who i was buying it from. CHECK. I needed to know that it would depreciate, but very slowly and i am fine with that level of depreciation, so CHECK. I needed to know that i would have access to a mechanic that could handle the car and that was willing to train me in taking care of it properly, and i have that fully in place with someone who was already a friend and lives 2 blocks away, so CHECK. I needed to know that the insurance would work and that i could insure it for full value comp/collision without breaking my bank, and i talked to Hagerty and my 3000 mile per year insurance will cost me about $70 per month, so CHECK. The whole thing is surreal to me, after all these years i am not only getting a 7, but i am getting THIS 7! From Rocky Mountain, the EXACT specs that i chose in the Caterham configurator, built by Road & Track (i read the articles) and then gone thru and vetted by Josh and even driven by him for awhile, using the 152hp Sigma engine which is the one i would have chosen if given the choice over the Durotec, and basically brand new. WOW! Realize that this is THE bucket list item of my life, to own a 7. I thought it would never happen. I have been emailing with Josh and he is really awesome already, he obviously is doing what he loves for a living, and he said he is willing to help guide us. Josh emailed me and here are some cuts of what he said: About resale... 'I think you got good advice from Croc on valuation and insurance. All Sevens hold their values well but the current generation are holding on exceptionally well, and older ones have actually come up a bit. I'm not sure why this is. Some have suggested that it is because anything analog and ICE powered is going up in value (offset by wear/tear/depreciation). From my view it's a little simpler: there's just so few Sevens available in the US that they always have a buyer, and good Sevens are sought after. You will never not be able to sell your Seven.' About this particular car and the Road & Track build... Build assembly concerns: Sam and Zach did 90% of the actual assembly and took 100% of the responsibility and they did a fantastic job. It was one of the best built kits we have ever seen. Both have pro mechanic stints in their earlier resumes and Sam in particular has a race car / formula car background so they had the correct mindset for putting the kit together properly. They texted almost daily from the day we delivered the kit to them, to the day the kit came back for titling/registration... then Covid lockdown hit the CO DMV and all that stalled out. Hearst Media then shitcanned Road and Track Magazine the same month. It was awful. But that's the backstory why there were no more articles after the first few build episodes. Sam and Zach have been in touch ever since... and in fact one, condition I'm hoping to attach to the sale is that they might get to drive the Seven they built, should they ever be in the same area and able to visit. We had this stipulation in the first sale of the car. It never sat well with us that the builders (and writers!) never got to drive what they built, so the cosmos is still a little unsettled as a result. So, it sure seems like a well built car according to Josh! I also promised Josh that the people that built the car can come out and drive it if they happen to be near Eugene Oregon, that would be cool As to needing to drive one first and that i might feel too small and exposed, i LOVE small cars, the smaller the better. That is the feature, not the bug. I have driven a 7 before for a bit, experienced the wind at speed, the heat from the cockpit, the process of getting in, the feeling that if that SUV hit you sideways that would be REALLY bad. So, i do have a reference of what to expect, but i have only driven a little bit. But, it is not the smallness that will bother me, it is the safety. I will be carrying my autistic daughter in it fairly often, and i am going to be SO CAREFUL when i drive this car, with or without her. I am even thinking of not going thru big 4 way intersections, and instead turning right, doing a U turn and then turning right again, pain in the butt but fun in a way as well, and also slows you down, but a lot safer. I will be staying an extra lane away from people, stay out of blind spots for sure, just driving it like a bike safety wise. When my daughter rides with me, it will always have the side curtain on her side and she will not get in or out without me helping so she never touches that pipe. I think just being super cautious like that we will be fine, at least mostly as fine as driving the Miata. I drive the Miata very safely as well, spirited for sure when possible but safe. I am thinking of getting some sort of side bars for it maybe. I plan on this being a forever car, my other daughter who inherits it will have instructions for how to easily sell it when i am driving 1965 Formula Fords in heaven. For me, this is the literally most iconic and coolest car ever made, it has been in production as long as i have been alive, and now i get to own one. Wow. When i get stares from others, it won't at all be some ego trip of 'look at me!', it will be about 'look at this amazing car!', i want to share it with everyone. But, mostly i want to DRIVE it, i want to feel that rawness of essentially driving a Formula Ford for the road. Every time i get in it, i will be that kid that watched the Lotus 7s race with my Dad flagging them in the late 60s, now driving my own Lotus 7! Yall have been a huge part of my decision process, so I appreciate it. The first thread here of many i imagine. Thanks! Randy

Thank you for all your responses! Yall are great (I am from Texas originally, now Oregon). I am still in a bit of a shock that this looks to be happening. I want to do it right and learn all the basics of taking care of it properly. I am not expecting it to be as reliable as the Miata, but if we learn how to properly care for it, i am hoping for a pretty reliable car with occasional issues. I read the R&T articles (that stopped suddenly before getting to the driving tests) and it is a tad disconcerting that so many people participated in the build and a number of them sounded like relatively novice mechanics. They did have some gurus there overseeing everything though. So, hopefully they did put it together well, but Josh wrote this to me about the car, so the car does sound quite well sorted out along with being basically new: "As to the car itself, I've given it an inspection here as we do with all the Sevens that come through and it is in lovely shape, as good as any "used" Seven can be. All fluids, bolts, hoses, etc are as they should be and it is in excellent condition. Also I was the first owner of this car myself, from 0 through 515 miles, so I know it very well. I also did the suspension setup around my weight (180lbs). The current owner bought it from me a few years ago and did regular country drives of about 50 miles at a time... just what a Seven likes to keep healthy." I don't want to learn how to do engine work or change a clutch, but i am determined to find people that can hand hold me to teach a novice how to properly maintain the 7, including things like tightening bolts, lubing, etc. I want to be taught what things to look out for as well. I want to learn how to clean it properly, change the oil, etc along with understanding when/how often various maintenance should occur. My mechanic has a friend near Rocky Mountain Caterham that has a lot of car knowledge and lots of old sports/race cars, and he is supposed to be going up there to check the car out in person this Wednesday. My friend here in Eugene has agreed to be my dedicated mechanic for it. He lives just down the street as well. Josh has been great so far, so was his Dad. Josh said that he would do a Zoom meeting if I wanted to, and I am going to take him up on doing a Zoom meeting to see the car and to see/hear it driving if that would be possible. Also, I am planning on asking Josh if he or someone else there could do a Zoom meeting or two with myself and my mechanic friend and teach us all the maintenance, tips and things to look out for and what the maintenance schedule should be. I would be willing to pay Rocky Mountain Caterham for them to train us via Zoom in all the proper Caterham care, but I am not sure they would be willing to do that or how much they would charge for something like that. Once we get it here, my mechanic can help me learn how to actually do the maintenance. No doubt there are lots of other 7 owners in the Pacific Northwest that would also be willing to give us tips and advice/help. Part of the process will be finding them and meeting them Plus, sounds like we have Rocky Mountain as a resource for issues as well. I was about to call Hagerty. I did a pre-quote and it came back as $1200 per year for $50K comp/collision with 5K mile limit. I was told it is less than $500 per year for something like that. I was wanting a 4-5K limit if possible to give enough miles to go to some car events/shows or other short trips, although I do have the Miata as well and lately I really only drive 4K per year total since I work from home. So, maybe I need less miles per year from Hagerty than I think for the 7. What are yall paying for Hagerty comp/collision, for what value of car and what miles limits? Also, i don't plan on doing any tracking at all until i have lived with the car for awhile and gotten to know it better, but in a future year if i wanted to track the car you would have to tell Hagerty about that and even if i rarely go to the track and drive very carefully there, i expect the moment i tell them i am tracking it, they will jack up the rate quite a bit. True? I have been bitten by the bug. I melt every time i look at pics of the car Thanks! Randy

Hey out there. I am 62 years old and have salivated/dreamed of owning/driving a 7 since I saw them race in the 60s (my Dad used to flag the races). I am now finally able to put forward the 'entry fee' of $49K to get into a gorgeous one (see attached pics!) that is spec'ed almost exactly as if I had ordered myself from Caterham. And it was put together by Road and Track magazine as a project car for an article series. Road and Track then sold it to Rocky Mountain Caterham. One of the Rocky Mountain Caterham owners (Josh) drove it as his personal Caterham for awhile, but now they have put it on the market at $49K and I have already put down a deposit to hold it. It is EXACTLY how I would want it and I can't imagine ever finding another Caterham that is quite this perfect for what I want, not unless I order it from the factory. FYI that my modded Miata is also Gulf Blue, and my first car (1962 TR4) was Gulf Blue, and my Caterham always had to be Gulf Blue. I need advice quickly as we are having a local friend go out and inspect it in person in Colorado next Wednesday and I need to make a final decision soon after that. I appreciate any advice upfront! I am feeling crazy explaining this idea to others and I would feel terrible if it turned out to be a big mistake. Two things are MUSTS for me to feel good about walking into this. 1) I need to know that if I take good care of it, but end up needing to sell it in a few years or even 10+ years, that it will mostly hold its resale value. That I will be able to sell this if I need to in the next few years for very close to what I paid for it, and that I will be able to sell it in 10+ years for maybe $10-15K less value ($49K to $35K type of thing). Is that true? I am justifying this purchase with the idea that if I can afford the 'entry fee' of $49K, that I will then be able to own and drive a 7 (finally!) for the next 10-15 years just for the cost of a little depreciation + maintenance + insurance. Then, when I can't drive it anymore, I will sell it and get 75%-ish of what I paid for it back (assuming still in top condition). Is that a true assumption? 2) I am not a mechanic or gear-head. I can do simple maintenance things or change a flat, etc, but that is about it. I am being told by Rocky Mountain that the newer Caterhams with the modern Ford engines and Miata gearboxes are much more reliable than the old Kent Weber carbed leaking oil Caterhams. I have a personal friend who is a freelance vintage car mechanic that is just a block away, and he has agreed to be my dedicated Caterham mechanic. I also have a close vintage British car shop on the hook for help. I want to learn to do all the important maintenance things like changing oil, changing brakes, etc myself, but I would not have the expertise to figure out an issue if the car dies on me on the road. I am worried I will be towing it to the shop many times a year due to something breaking, overheating, etc due to it being such a custom car. Also, very concerned about something going wrong on such a custom car that causes me to burn the engine up before I realize there is an issue. The one I am buying seems very well sorted out and everything in it is basically brand new with the modern engine/gearbox, etc, so I would think that it would be quite reliable once it was initially sorted out, assuming proper maintenance. Is that true? I am not expecting it to be brand new Miata level reliable, but I need it to be pretty reliable. Will I be able to properly maintain it with my mechanic friend and the Vintage car shop without it being a money pit constantly with issues that I need other's help fixing? Here are the specs: S3 metric chassis (standard floors), Gulf Blue with ballistic orange nose band and bonnet stripe 152bhp 1600 Sigma 3.91 limited slip differential 5 speed gearbox 13″ black Apollo wheels with polished lips and Avon ZZS Sports suspension with adjustable spring perches, widetrack front suspension, and front / rear anti roll bars Full weather gear, windscreen, sidescreens, hood Interchangeable aeroscreen Half hood and half doors Leather seats 3 point inertia reel seatbelts Momo steering wheel Black pack and black aero filler cap Cornerweighted for 180lb driver + half tank fuel. Set up for fast road use and occasional trackdays. Titled and registered in Colorado with a State of Colorado assigned VIN. 2,793 miles. Consignment sale on behalf of owner. Seven is located at our Golden, Colorado warehouse. We can coordinate enclosed carrier transport anywhere in the lower 48 states. Thanks! Randy